Former Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has been speaking about his old club

Former Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has lavished praise on the Black Cats for the manner in which they have adapted to life in the Premier League, claiming they are one of the most “well-run” clubs in the top flight.

Regis Le Bris’ men played out a 1-1 draw with Everton on Monday evening - a result that leaves them fourth in the table after 10 matches. Their return of 18 points thus far has comfortably exceeded the expectations of many heading into the campaign, and has helped them to open up an 11-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone.

And in a fresh interview with BetWright, Poyet has hailed Sunderland’s work behind the scenes, and the way that it has impacted their stellar start to the season on the pitch.

What has Gus Poyet said about Sunderland?

The popular Uruguayan said: “Sunderland have been outstanding so far. After what happened in the last two seasons, it was definitely unexpected considering the performance of the recently promoted teams. It shows that when you have a strong collaborate structure, you can achieve great things. Of course, money helps a lot, but they recruited wisely by purchasing players with specifics sets of characteristics and traits.

“I was impressed a lot by Regis Le Bris in pre-season and he’s showing his qualities as coach. The key is that Sunderland are a very well-run football club. From my observation, the owners, directors, coaches and everyone else are on the same page, which doesn’t always happen at the elite level. So it’s been inspiring to see their recent success in the Premier League.”

Poyet also took the time to emphasise the importance of Granit Xhaka, who joined Sunderland in a high-profile move from Bayer Leverkusen over the summer, and has since been handed the captain’s armband on Wearside.

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At the time of writing, the Swiss veteran has three assists and a goal to his name, and has been instrumental in a number of eye-catching displays from his new side during the early knockings of the season.

Speaking on Xhaka, Poyet added: “Granit Xhaka has been their best signing; there no doubt about it. I wasn't completely convinced about him before he transferred to the club, but he’s been the perfect signing for Sunderland. Of course, you have to credit the whole team for where the club is positioned in the league, but Xhaka has been the standout player."

Sunderland’s next outing in the Premier League comes against leaders Arsenal at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon. While the Black Cats are widely perceived to be underdogs, an improbable three points against the Gunners could elevate Le Bris’ men up to second in the table, depending on results elsewhere, and would move them to within four points of the summit.

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